Another Coach Bites The Dust

Well, were only two days into the week and two coaches are already with out a job.  On Monday Ram's coach Scott Linehan was fired after his teams dismal 0-4 start, and today Lane Kiffin was told he was no longer the coach of perhaps the most dysfunctional team in the NFL, the Raiders.  Linehan inherited a team that won 8 games the year before he got them, and the following year they won 3, and this year they have yet to win let alone show any signs of life.  This is the same Rams that won the Superbowl a few years ago and was once called "The Greatest Show on Turf".

The Raiders were also in the Superbowl a few years ago, and while they did not win, they were once a dominate force in the NFL.  Once being the key word in that sentence.  When Kiffin was hired he was the youngest head coach in the NFL, and many thought he was doomed from the start, the biggest reason being that the Raiders are not just owned, but CONTROLLED by Al Davis.  He is known for hiring and firing of coaches like its a hobby of his, and he makes all choices on what players are drafted, what trades to make, who to hire and what salaries will be paid.  With a force that controlling no coach, not even Bill Belicheck can succeed.

While Kiffin did not bring the Raiders to the Superbowl, let alone playoffs, he tried his best given the situation he was in.  It's hard to coach a team you have no control over, or when you have a rookie quarterback and running back who need time to develop.  However, the way Kiffin was treated was very wrong.  From the second the first game of the season was over all ESPN was reporting was that Kiffin was going to be fired today, then it was tomorrow, then it was any day now.  Honestly, shut up.  When he's fired he's fired, until then let it be.  It just got annoying when they would report it everyday, yet he still had a job.  The worst was when they asked him during press conferences what was going on.  Would you like people to come to your job and ask when you are going to be fired.  I thought not.

Just like most quarterbacks are benched too soon, many coaches are fired too soon as well.  It just shows how impatient people are when it comes to results.  Just look at Titans coach Jeff Fisher, he brought his team to the Superbowl, and yes they lost, and yes they've had some rough years since then, but he's held his job and now look at the Titans, 4-0 and one of the best teams in the league.  Like I said last blog, patience is a virtue.